Software Future
February 28th, 2010This is a note to myself about software design…
Simple software should optionally automatically train the user. For instance, a drawing program should only have a pencil tool until the user draws a line the first time, this then reveals the paintbrush tool and use of the paintbrush tool reveals the paintbucket tool and the paintbucket tool reveals, selection tool etc….
This is a vast oversimplification, but I plan to attempt to integrate these techniques in upcoming small web applications.
March 1st, 2010 at 4:55 am
Yes, you are right! However, the challanges of showing what and having which tool are quite big after all. Even the drawing algoritm and performance are huge challange.
The absolute classic try was: Alias Sketchbook (Bill Buxton), date 2001 (I think) but still one of the best applications in this direction.
If you intend to implement something in this direction : “This a vast oversimplification, but I plan to attempt to integrate these techniques in upcoming small web applications.” will be really great to exchange some experience or even make some cooperation. It seems that our interests are quite common.
Check our platform Bamboo Dock, it suppose to distribute such applications: http://bamboo.wacom.eu/minis/en/#/mini with all Wacom tablets.
Cheers,
Konstantin
March 1st, 2010 at 6:52 am
Wow… Thanks Konstantin I’ll look into both of the applications you mention and write back. I have sheepshaver installed so a 2001 copy of Alias sketchbook isn’t necessarily out reach (also have a huge bunch of demo installers from the 90’s and early 2000’s for system 7-9 on the mac.